Knowing the sources of uric acid would prove beneficial if you are suffering from uric acid problems. We have provided you the most important sources of food that are rich in purines and are capable of elevating uric acid levels inside your body. Read on…
Uric acid is an important constituent of our body, whose level should be within the normal range, i.e 3.0-7.0 mg/dL. Uric acid is the breakdown product of purines, and foods rich in purines are the main sources of uric acid. There are many reasons behind elevation of uric acid inside our body, amongst which consumption of excessive purine foods and defect in the enzyme uricase are very common.
The symptoms of high uric acid inside your body becomes evident with pain in specific parts of the body like the feet, elbows and ankles. Deposition of uric acid crystals is the main reason behind occurrence of gout and stones in the kidney and the uterus. On the contrary, low uric acid could also result in health disorders like multiple sclerosis. Thus, you should know the dietary sources of uric acid and consume them adequately to maintain your uric acid level within the normal range.
Natural Sources of Uric Acid
You have come to know that the main reason behind elevation of urine acid is consumption of excessive purines. People who are suffering from gout and stones are restricted consumption of purines, while people diagnosed with very low uric acid in their body should incorporate proteins, amino acids and purines in their diet to avoid suffering from health complications. A balance of nutrients should be created and the portion of food that you need to consume should be determined by your doctor.
Animal and Sea Food
The highest content of purines is found in animal products. This includes read meat, liver, kidney and brains of animals. Those who are suffering from hyperuricemia must avoid these foods as much as possible. The liver of pig, goat, ox, calf, the lungs of pigs and the spleen of sheep are rich in purine. Avoid eating mutton, pork and beef as they also elevate uric acid levels in the blood.
Sea food is also rich in purines. Doctors always impose restriction on consumption of sardines, anchovies, cods, shrimp, salmons, crabs and mackerels. They are rich in proteins which aggravate the pain associated with deposition of uric acid crystals. Tuna and most other types of freshwater fish contain comparatively less amount of purines and they can be consumed as per your doctor’s advice. Since animal and sea food contain high amounts of purines, they are recommended to people suffering from uric acid deficiency.
Vegetables and Fruits
There are certain vegetables, whose consumption can elevate uric acid levels inside the body. Fruits, except a few, contain very low amounts of purine and therefore, they are considerably safe. Amongst the green vegetables, spinach, asparagus and peas have a high purine content. Tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, onions and beet roots are also included under foods high in uric acid.
Orange, pineapple, raspberry, apples, banana come under the list of low purine foods as their purine content is within the range of 7-20 mg/gram. So you can have these fruits in moderate amounts. Vegetables that are low in uric acid are white cabbage, bamboo shoots, morel, celery and quince. Although they are do not contain large amounts of purines, you should always take doctor’s advice before incorporating them in your diet.
Dairy and Milk Products
Dairy products have high purine content. Milk and its cream is rich in protein and so are other dairy products. The yolk of eggs, butter, cheese, cud and yogurt are enriched with purines and their consumption should be limited to recover quickly from gout and kidney stones. Your uric acid reduction diet should almost be devoid of dairy products. These foods are, however, excellent for improving health of people who are suffering from health disorders due to lack of purine in their diet.
Cereals, Legumes and Others
Sweet corn and whole wheat products can elevate uric acid levels inside your body. You should limit consumption of white/brown bread and products that are manufactured with yeast. Green peas, Lima beans, red beans, black peas, pinto beans, etc., have moderately high amounts of purines. Peanuts, hazel nuts, rye, soybean and tofu are also included under foods that form main sources of uric acid.
Eliminating these foods completely without confirming the levels of uric acid in your body is not at all a wise idea. Henceforth, your diet should be framed by your doctor that will be dependent on your health status.
